


Slushies in Summertime

by lothalmoons



Series: Love in San Dimas [2]
Category: Bill & Ted (Movies)
Genre: (for real this time), Childhood Memories, First Kiss, Flashbacks, Love Confessions, M/M, post excellent adventure, ted is confused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 07:30:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18516787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lothalmoons/pseuds/lothalmoons
Summary: Ted realizes how Bill feels about him but doesn't know what to do about it.





	Slushies in Summertime

Ted frowned and scribbled on his paper, not having the focus or motivation to write down the notes his teacher had put on the board. He sighed; Ted loved English - it was his favorite subject - but even in his favorite class, he was too distracted to pull himself into the moment. All he could think about, all that he had been thinking about since last night, was Bill.

It seemed almost surreal what Bill had done that night that Ted caught himself wondering if he hadn’t dreamt the whole thing up. Bill had confessed, maybe not to him but at least to the silence of San Dimas in the early morning, that he loved him. Ted knew it for a fact: Bill Preston loved Ted Logan. It was written on his back after all.

But what confused Ted most of all, more than even what Bill said, was how Bill acted. Bill woke up the next morning as if nothing had happened at all. He didn’t even seem more tired than usual. Ted had stood there stunned as his friend rolled up his sleeping bag and in the most casual tone asked, “Dude, what’s for breakfast?” Ted wasn’t sure how he was expecting Bill to act, but completely normal certainly was not it. Their walk to school would have been identical to any other day if Ted hadn’t been woken up by Bill’s crying that night.

It made Ted wonder. How many other nights had Bill cried himself to sleep over him? How long had he felt this way towards his best friend and felt trapped, imprisoned by his own loneliness and guilt? How long had Ted been so blind?

Then again, for the past four years, Ted had made sure that Bill had not been able to suspect his growing affections for him either.

Ted remembered it like it was yesterday; it was just a few weeks before the beginning freshman year, and the two of them had been sitting outside on the curb, sweating in the summer heat and each with a slushie in their hands. The sun had been setting behind them. Ted had been staring down at their shadows, growing longer as the sun disappeared behind the houses.

“Bill?” Ted had said, his voice hesitant, “when we go to high school…we’ll still be best friends, right?”

A look of confusion had spread across Bill’s face. “What kind of question is that, Ted? Of course we’ll stay best friends.”

Ted had mulled it over in his mind. Since the beginning of summer, he had treasured all the time he had spent with Bill much more than usual, believing that he wouldn’t have moments like this again once they moved on. Bill had always been the more social of the two, and girls had naturally flocked to him; Ted didn’t need to wonder why - his friend was most good looking. Ted had frowned; his fears hadn’t been allayed by Bill’s response. “I’m just scared, dude. San Dimas High is so big that you’re bound to meet other dudes, maybe even some babes, and I feel like you’ll move on without me.”

Bill’s features had grown softer, sensing the concern in his friend’s voice. “Ted,” he had said. Ted lifted his head to lock eyes with Bill. “I could never forget about you. You’re the most excellent friend I’ve ever had! Nobody could ever replace you, dude.”

Ted had stared deeply into his best friend’s blue eyes and had seen a part of him he had never seen before, a glimpse of pure tenderness and adoration that he had wished he could see every time he looked into Bill’s eyes or saw him smile. The setting sun had made Bill’s golden curls glow, and something about the way the light illuminated Bill’s features, the way the rays danced upon his skin and made his eyes twinkle and lips seem soft, had made Ted want to… Ted had looked down at the ground before he could make sense of it all.

Bill had reached down to hold Ted’s hand. It had been cold and sticky with frozen soda, but Ted couldn’t suppress a blush. 

“Ted, I promise that we’ll always stay best friends, and nothing could ever happen that would make me break that.”

Ted had smiled. “I promise you that too.”

Ted had already thought of one thing that might have made Bill break his promise.

Looking back, Ted wondered if Bill had realized everything at that moment too. Maybe he did, but he didn’t remember - Bill wasn’t good with memories. It was strange; Ted was supposed to feel relieved that he knew that his friend shared his feelings, but he felt more lost now than ever. He knew that Bill admitting to his deepest, most painful secret in the middle of the night to someone he was certain was asleep was much different from having a face to face conversation. Even if Ted could find a way to bring it up and talk to Bill, would he even listen? The tip of Ted’s pencil broke as he scribbled harder on the paper. Before Ted could search for another pencil, the bell rang, and Bill appeared next to him, books in hand and waiting for him to gather his things, just like always.

Throughout the day, Ted tried several times to talk to Bill, but whether it was because he couldn’t find the right time or the right words, he wasn’t able to. Even as he and Bill were walking home from school, together and not around anyone else, Ted found it impossible to speak. There was a lull in their conversation as Bill finished his story and Ted didn’t follow up with anything, too absorbed in his own mind, trying to plan out his words, timing, and delivery of something he had never thought he’d say before.

Bill refused to let the silence go on. “You’ve been most quiet all day, dude. Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” Ted said, hearing the obvious lie in his tone.

“But you’re only ever quiet if something’s bothering you, Ted. What is it?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, dude, not…yet.”

“Ted, we never keep secrets from each other. Please just tell me.”

We never keep secrets from each other. Ted wanted to scream, scream at Bill. He had thought so too, but after what he knew now, those words meant precious little to him. The guilt he had carried around for hiding his feelings all those years gave away to frustration.

“I know that you were up last night, Bill.” The color drained from Bill’s face, and he stopped in his tracks. “I woke up because I heard you crying. I was going to say something, but I didn’t want you to stop because you knew I was up - I know you never cry when I’m around.” Bill didn’t reply. He was still frozen, panic rising in his chest. Ted felt his voice waver as he took a breath. “I know how you feel about me.”

“Ted, I’m so sorry.” Bill looked at the ground, unable to look at his friend. He wrapped his arms around himself, feeling sick and lightheaded. “I’ve ruined everything, dude,” he muttered, his face growing red as he felt tears spring in his eyes. 

“No! You haven’t ruined anything -“

“Now we can’t be friends anymore because I know you’d never want to be friends with someone like me. I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but I promise that I’ll stay away from you.” Bill’s voice grew quieter as he rambled, but his panic didn’t subside.

“Bill!” Ted grasped his shoulders to get his attention. Bill looked up at Ted, feeling the firm grip but refusing to acknowledge it, enjoying the contact for what he thought was the last time. 

“It’s okay.” Ted smiled, gazing into Bill’s eyes. “I love you too.”

Ted could see the tension and fear melt into first confusion, then a solid realization. Bill’s shoulders fell and the tears started to flow down his cheeks. He smiled, wider than he had in years, not caring. He shakily lifted his hands to cup Ted’s face. “Really?” he asked.

“Definitely, dude.” Ted had never been surer of anything in his life.

They stood together like that, touching but not intertwined, as the early summer breeze ruffled their hair and dried Bill’s tears. Bill glanced down at Ted’s lips and thought for a moment.

“Ted?”

“What?”

“I… really want to kiss you.”

Ted blushed, thinking the same thing but not having the courage to be the person to voice it. “I want you to kiss me too,” he admitted, just loud enough to be heard.

It was a little awkward at first, but the two of them got the hang of it pretty quickly, considering they’d never kissed anyone before. Bill leaned in, standing on his tiptoes so he was tall enough to reach, and made contact with Ted ever so gently. Ted always thought that what they said about “fireworks” in movies was just made up, lovey-dovey nonsense, but when he felt Bill’s soft lips on his own, he knew it was all true. Ted had never been able to truly imagine what kissing Bill would be like; what he created in his mind always felt so ghostly, but as he kissed Bill now, he knew he could have never been able to dream how wonderful it felt. Bill’s lips tasted salty, and Ted couldn’t suppress a smile, clanking their teeth together which made the both of them laugh until they finally separated. 

“That was…excellent,” Ted said, breathless even though they had not kissed for long at all. Bill nodded in agreement.

The sun was still high in the sky, but the two decided it was time to head home. They walked, hand in hand, down the road, not really caring if anyone saw. After all, they both knew they would stay together no matter what and that nothing could make them break that promise.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I wasn't going to post a second part to my first fic, but I realized I wanted a happy ending that was more than implied. Also thank everyone who complimented my other fic y'all are angels!!


End file.
